In an era of influencers who seem to have infinite money, with new clothing hauls every week on TikTok, and seemingly always ahead of the pendulum that is the fashion industry, normal people tend to get an uncontrollable FOMO (fear of missing out) after endless scrolling.
Although Baltimore City may be known for its constant shootings, and heroin epidemic, the city has historically been booming with creatives and collectors who present great opportunities for locals to buy affordable and unique clothing at their favorite vintage stores.
Get Shredded, Milk and Ice, and Doubledutch, are some of the more well known names, with a wide variety of clothes and accessories to choose from, and price tags that are more than reasonable. The FOMO and insecurity caused by the age of “doom-scrolling,” can be defeated by walking, driving, or taking the light rail, to your nearest vintage store.
Getting the brand-new, 100% polyester Urban Outfitters “strapless midi dress” for $70, isn’t needed when you can get an authentic 90s midi dress that is 100% cotton at half the price. Not only will you save a few bucks, but you’ll have a unique look, and support a local business.
Get Shredded vintage says, “Shopping local supports local economies, which provide local jobs and make neighborhoods more sustainable and attractive to live in and keep cities a destination which support local economies.”
With Get Shredded Vintage, you walk into a multitude of colors, where you’ll always find a funky pattern that might catch your interest. Milk and Ice not only provides cool clothes that make you stand out immediately, it also has eccentric knick knacks such as real snakes in jars, and taxidermy ferrets on display and ready to buy for the funkiest vibe. Lastly, Doubledutch boutique brings more of a girly atmosphere, with frilly dresses, floral accessories, and a vast collection of pins of your favorite musical artists. Of course, when you walk to the men’s section in the back, you’re met with the coolest t-shirts, jorts, and cowboy boots.
The best place to find these stores is in the Baltimore neighborhood, Hampden. Across the street from the local skate park, there is a long strip of endless vintage stores, coffee shops, and the best ice cream in Baltimore (The Charmery) to put the cherry on top for your day of shopping.
Buying and wearing vintage clothes doesn’t only increase your cool-factor, but decreases your carbon footprint. About 92 million tonnes of clothes and textiles are thrown away every year and end up in landfills globally. Instead of throwing away your old clothes, maybe try to sell or donate them to your local vintage store, or instead of buying the new Aritzia tank top, stop by Doubledutch and grab a simple tank that has been worn for years and will now continue to be worn for years with you.
When asked about the implications to the environment regarding fast fashion, Get Shredded says, “fast fashion is devastating to the environment. The way the clothes are made is through exploitative labor as well, and it is environmentally devastating in the way that the clothes are grown, manufactured, and discarded shipped, etc.”
Reuse, reduce, and recycle isn’t only a phrase that should be used when referring to reusing pizza sauce jars to hold other produce, or recycling your papers, or taking shorter showers. It’s a phrase that should be remembered and repeated with every single decision you make in your life. Whether that be putting your candy wrapper in the correct bin, buying less single use plastic, or buying vintage clothes so they don’t end up in landfills, it is important to remember that all people have the ability to lower their waste and use things till the very end. Remind yourself, that each thrifted dress is one less garment headed for a landfill, and one small stand against the mass-produced churn of fast fashion.
